The Archbishop of Canterbury on the Royal Wedding
Thursday 21st April 2011
Speaking in a short film produced by Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury talks about the sense of hopefulness and generosity which lie at the heart of marriage, and what this also tells us about the ‘mystery’ and ‘delight’ which can be found in this life-time commitment. Dr Williams, who will be conducting the marriage ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29th, also describes the sense of privilege he feels about his own role in the royal wedding."Any priest or minister conducting a wedding is bound to feel a huge sense of privilege. You're invited into some intimate places in people's lives. You're invited to take part in a very significant moment, a moment of hope; a moment of affirmation about people's present and future. And I've felt very privileged to be part of this event for those reasons. Here are young people sending a message of hopefulness, sending a message of generosity across the world. And it's my privilege to be able to bless that in the name of God, to witness it in the name of God".
In describing his impressions of the way in which the couple have approached their marriage, Dr Williams says:
"I've been very struck by the way in which William and Catherine have approached this great event. They've thought through what they want for themselves, but also what they want to say. They've had a very simple, very direct picture of what really matters about this event. I think that they have a clear sense of what they believe they're responsible to. They're responsible to the whole society; responsible to God for their relationship. And I think it's impressive that they've had that simplicity about it, they've known what matters, what's at the heart of all this... ... because I think they are deeply unpretentious people"
Finally, the Archbishop urges all those who will be watching on the day to offer their support and prayers to the couple as they take this significant step:
"William and Catherine are making this commitment very much in the public eye and they're sensible, realistic young people. They know what the cost of that might be. They've thought that through. And because of that they will need the support, the solidarity and the prayers of all those who are watching today. We have to be witnesses in an active sense: the kind of witnesses who really support what's going on. To be a witness is more than to be a spectator and I hope that'll be part of people's experience at the time of the wedding."
Broadcast quality versions of the film and audio are available to download here: http://www.torpedofactoryfilms.co.uk/lambeth-palace
A transcript follows:
Since about 1300 the Archbishops of Canterbury have had their London residence here in Lambeth Palace. The view from Lambeth Palace is straight across to the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and of course Westminster Abbey. And at the moment Westminster Abbey is very much in everybody’s minds as we look forward to the Royal Wedding.
Every marriage is a really big commitment for the people involved. It’s a life-time commitment. It’s a commitment that says that, actually, I’m not only prepared to spend the rest of my life with you, but to spend the rest of my life finding out about you. There’s always going to be more of you to discover. And if that’s what people are saying to each other in a wedding, that says something very deeply important about what human beings are like. There’s a mystery, a delight at the heart of human beings, and it’s possible to spend a lifetime and more exploring just that.
A marriage is of course first and foremost about two individuals. But no individual exists alone. People come to their weddings with family and friends around them. And of course in this particular wedding they’re coming with friends and supporters all round the world, watching and witnessing.
Every wedding then, sends a message to people. Its two people declaring something not only about themselves but about what they most deeply believe, the values they most deeply hold to, and declaring that to the whole world around.
A marriage is good news because it says something so deep about our humanity. And it tells us that we can have grounds for hope: that there are still people around who want to spend their lives with each other, who want to make this great act of generous commitment to one another. And so, everybody around the world will have some sense of the commitments that are possible.
People who are witnessing a wedding are bound to ask themselves that if Prince William and Catherine can make that sort of commitment, if these people can share that sort of generosity, perhaps I’m capable of more generosity and more commitment, more faithfulness, more purposefulness than I ever thought. Perhaps there’s more to me than I ever realised.
Prince William and Catherine are making this commitment very much in the public eye and they’re sensible, realistic young people. They know what the cost of that might be. They’ve thought that through. And because of that they will need the support, the solidarity and the prayers of all those who are watching today. We have to be witnesses in an active sense: the kind of witnesses who really support what’s going on. To be a witness is more than to be a spectator and I hope that will be part of people’s experience at the time of the wedding.
It’s been a real pleasure to get to know the couple. I’ve been very struck by the way in which William and Catherine have approached this great event. They’ve thought through what they want for themselves, but also what they want to say. They’ve had a very simple, very direct picture of what really matters about this event. I think that they have a clear sense of what they believe they’re responsible to. They’re responsible to the whole society, and responsible to God for their relationship. And I think it’s impressive that they’ve had that simplicity about it, they’ve known what matters, what’s at the heart of all this. They’ve worked towards that. Because I think that they are deeply unpretentious people, and that message about taking that responsibility sensibly, realistically, courageously, comes over very strongly in conversation with them.
Any priest or minister conducting a wedding is bound to feel a huge sense of privilege. You’re invited into some intimate places in people’s lives. You’re invited to take part in a very significant moment, a moment of hope; a moment of affirmation about people’s present and future. And I’ve felt very privileged to be part of this event for those reasons. Here are young people sending a message of hopefulness, sending a message of generosity across the world. And it’s my privilege to be able to bless that in the name of God, to witness it in the name of God, and to send them on their way.
Naturally, I want to wish William and Catherine every richest blessing in their life together. But I want to wish them especially the courage and clarity they’ll need to live out this big commitment in the full glare of the public eye – to live it out for the rest of us. I hope they’ll be given the strength and the persistence to go on showing the rest of us what’s possible for the whole of their life together.